Guard Seamen

Guard Seamen (officially "Seamen of the Guard") were an elite unit of the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars, formed in 1803 by Napoleon I. They were chosen for imposing height as well as good conduct and loyalty and trained to shoot and reload accurately and quickly.

History
The ranks of the Guard Seamen were filled with the best soldiers the French army had to offer. Chosen for their imposing height, good conduct and loyalty, the men had excellent morale and a positive effect on the morale of nearby friendly units. Their discipline was exemplary; their reload times and the accuracy of their musketry were the envy of many. They did have some weaknesses: their extensive training and experience made them more expensive than most foot troops, and they performed poorly against artillery and skirmishers that stayed beyond their musket fire.

Historically, the Seamen of the Guard were formed as a result of a decree by Napoleon. They were originally intended for action as part of the planned invasion of Britain, but when these plans were put aside they took a place in the Imperial Guard. In a few short years these men had developed a wide variety of skills that made them indispensable to the Emperor. He commented that "When occasion required they proved equally valuable whether as sailors, soldiers, artillerymen or engineers; there was no duty they could not undertake."